Museum cuts ‘done deal’ insist workers
STAFF have said they fear controversial cuts to Stockport’s museum service are a done deal despite an ongoing public consultation.
Workers at the borough’s historic attractions say they have been put on notice of redundancy and told they may have to reapply for their jobs on reduced hours.
Council bosses are proposing to close Stockport Museum and hand Chadkirk Chapel over to a community group, as part of a bid to save £150,000 towards an overall target of £10m.
Several other historic attractions would see their opening hours slashed under the plan including Grade II listed Staircase House, Tudor manor house Bramhall Hall and the War Memorial
Art Gallery.
The proposals - which also include Stockport Air Raid Shelter and The Hatworks - have provoked a fierce backlash from the public.
To date, more than 4,000 people have signed an online petition against the closure of Stockport Museum which last year hosted the popular Strawberry Studios exhibition.
It is understood consultation responses have also been overwhelmingly hostile to the proposals, which council officials themselves have described as ‘difficult’ and ‘regrettable’.
Staff have said they believe the authority has already made up its mind having been told they have until November 25 to apply for voluntary redundancy.
And if not enough people come forward, they may have to reapply for their jobs on fewer hours.
A museum service worker - who asked not to be named - said staff had been left stunned by the news.
“We are all on notice of redundancy, nothing was said prior to that, we were all told we would be fairly safe. All the staff are very unhappy, very angry about it - we really don’t know what’s happening anymore,” they said.
“We’re going to lose at least three hours a week, and the chances are it’s going to go down much further than that.
“We’re all going to lose hours at the very least, some of us are going to lose our jobs, we don’t really know what’s happening.”
The staff member continued: “They are set on this course, they have decided to do this then go through the consultation period because they have to.
“But they have already made up their minds about what’s going to happen.”
The museum worker is now ‘resigned to leaving’ and several other staff are also looking for new jobs - particularly those with families.
Coun Kate Butler, Stockport council’s cabinet member for citizen focus and engagement, said: “With a savings target of £10m required for the next financial year, we regrettably have to put forward difficult proposals such as this, which proposes to reduce the museums budget by £150,000 per year.
“Along with this proposal, we’re consulting with museums staff on the broad proposals and separately with staff whose hours or working patterns might change should the proposals be implemented.
“The feedback from each of these consultation exercises will be evaluated and will be used to inform councillors’ decision making in December 2019.”
To have your say visit consultation.stockport. gov.uk/